NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Netball

Netball: Auckland celebrate 100 years of success

Michael Burgess
By Michael Burgess
Senior Sports Journalist·Herald on Sunday·
30 Jul, 2011 05:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Women play netball in the Auckland Domain around the early 1900s. Photo / NZNA

Women play netball in the Auckland Domain around the early 1900s. Photo / NZNA

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In a year when the Mystics scaled their highest peak yet, it seems appropriate that Auckland Netball are celebrating a grand achievement of their own.

Next month, they will become the first netball association in New Zealand to mark a centenary.

While provincial netball is now overshadowed by the ANZ Championship, it is critical not to underestimate its importance at grassroots level.

"Auckland netball is the key breeding ground for us," says Mystics CEO Mark Cameron. "They are probably the best in the country at developing talent, with players from this region spread across the country."

Auckland sides regularly dominate the national age group competitions from under-15 to under-21 and Cameron nominates rising star Portia Woodman as a good example of someone who has come through the ranks. Maria Tutaia represented Auckland at under-15, 17 and 21 level, while Temepara George played for the under-19s.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It is crucial we maintain that high level," says Cameron. "At the Mystics we should always be developing our own talent; we shouldn't be looking outside our region to fill our team or flying people in."

The Mystics were an amalgamation of three semi-professional franchises: the Auckland Diamonds, Northern Force and Counties Manukau Thames Valley Cometz. There were teething problems in the early days, but Cameron says that after four years any issues are "largely gone".

Auckland Netball registered as an incorporated society in 1908, and held their first official competitions in 1911.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Early matches were played in a variety of locations, including Auckland Normal School in Epsom and Carries Paddcock in Sandringham and were mainly contested between teachers and church-based teams.

There were also games on grass in the Auckland Domain, which must have been quite a spectacle, as nine-a-side teams competed in full-length dresses alongside rugby pitches.

The sport in those days was known as women's basketball (the name not changed to netball until 1970), and the rules had been adapted to help women deal with the limitations of their impractical garb, which also included hats and button-up shoes. The current seven-a-side game was introduced in 1959, as New Zealand finally decided to fall into step with the rest of the Commonwealth.

Sometimes in the early days, the goals would literally be baskets set on top of a pole; when a goal was scored, the umpire would pull on the attached string to tilt the basket and release the ball.

Discover more

Commonwealth Games

Netball: Aitken eyes fresh talent

26 Jul 03:21 AM
Silver Ferns

Netball: Williams fears for her playing future

26 Jul 05:30 PM
Netball

Netball: Cullen's test debut may be sooner than expected

28 Jul 05:30 PM
Netball

Netball: Gerrard could show Steel

30 Jul 05:30 PM

The sport in Auckland grew fast; by 1926, there were 39 affiliated teams, four years later, almost 90. In 1932, the city council filled in an old landfill tip to create the courts at Windmill Road in Glen Eden; Auckland Tennis were the official tenants but the netballers had the rights to use the courts during winter.

Games would be played whatever the weather, with players wearing a plastic overtunic to cover their woollen uniforms. In heavy rain, some players would even take to wearing a plastic cover over their heads, like the hood of a raincoat without its jacket.

Once granted its own base, the sport in the Queen City never looked back. Auckland hosted the world championships in 1975, where the Silver Ferns finished third behind Australia and England. Auckland were also national provincial champions on 14 occasions between 1975 and 1995, including a record 10 consecutive titles between 1986 and 1995.

The city has contributed 52 players to the Ferns, from names of the past such as Julie Coney, Yvonne Willering and Anna Rowberry to present day stars such as Tutaia and Temepara George; Cathrine Latu and Kayla Cullen should become the next tomorrow.

With 742 affiliated teams across the Auckland region, it is the largest netball centre in New Zealand, boasting nearly 20,000 members and participants.

Perhaps one of the biggest milestones has been the completion of the new Auckland netball centre in St Johns, which was officially opened in 2006. It features three indoor courts and 29 outdoor courts.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Long-time Auckland president Judy Russell has been heavily involved in planning the centennial celebrations, which include a dinner on Friday and other activities over that weekend, including an exhibition nine-a-side match played under traditional rules.

"It is a significant milestone and we hope to involve as many people as possible," says Russell.

"As a sport, netball is all about the people and once involved, they tend to stay involved for life."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Netball

Silver Ferns

'Moments are priceless': Silver Ferns stars reunite for TV reality show

11 Jul 12:00 AM
Silver Ferns

'There's some niggle': Mystics coach's warning amid rising injury toll

10 Jul 09:01 PM
Netball

Magic defender, Silver Fern announces retirement from netball

09 Jul 12:00 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Netball

'Moments are priceless': Silver Ferns stars reunite for TV reality show

'Moments are priceless': Silver Ferns stars reunite for TV reality show

11 Jul 12:00 AM

The show aims to inspire more girls to play netball across New Zealand.

'There's some niggle': Mystics coach's warning amid rising injury toll

'There's some niggle': Mystics coach's warning amid rising injury toll

10 Jul 09:01 PM
Magic defender, Silver Fern announces retirement from netball

Magic defender, Silver Fern announces retirement from netball

09 Jul 12:00 AM
Premium
Kiwi athletes urged to watch what they wear - or risk falling foul of drug testers

Kiwi athletes urged to watch what they wear - or risk falling foul of drug testers

29 Jun 12:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP